Archive for the ‘Springdale Farm’

Apologies to you all for not writing this up sooner. With all the family visits, travel, and, yes, a summer sore throat & cold, I’ve been a little neglectful in getting anything written and posted.

I only shopped at 3 places this time around – Boggy Creek Farm, Springdale Farm, and at the farmers market in Quepos, Costa Rica. As I stated in May, I volunteer at Boggy Creek, so I shopped there twice and only had time to go once to Springdale. Because we were out of town so much, it simply wasn’t feasible to go more often to the farms or even make it out to any of the markets in Austin.

June 18 – Boggy Creek

Volunteer Day. I was experimenting with travel time from my house to the farm. I gave myself almost an hour that morning and arrived at the farm 20 minutes early. I decided to use the time semi-wisely and take a few photos of the soon-to-be cut flowers

Next time I go, I really need to ask what flowers they’re growing.

Ditto.

Rows of Zinnias

Zinnia ready for its close-up

As I recall, it was an overcast and humid day. There hadn’t been rain for several days at this point, so the ground was beginning to harden. And, it was weed-pulling day. The weeds are almost a lost cause on the farm, but everyone does their best to keep them in check. Most of them are fairly easy to pull; but the Bermuda Grass – ugh. After the weed pulling, composting was next on the list. I know the compost they use at Boggy Creek is excellent quality because it’s steaming as you fill the bucket.

After weeding and composting. Bermuda Grass – ugh. Trust me – this is so much better than any before picture would’ve suggested.

At the end of the day, I dragged myself into the farm stand to collect my “pay”. I wanted to be somewhat judicious since I knew Steve & I were going out of town again that weekend (it was his birthday), and I didn’t want to take the chance of anything going bad before I had a chance to use it.

Heirloom tomatoes.

Purple Bells.

The first butternut squash of the season. I was excited; it’s my favorite.

String beans are kicking in.

The red tomatoes are Indigo Rose. The yellow ones are Sungolds.

After my shopping, I decided to stretch my legs a little and walk around the farm. I discovered if I didn’t do this – basically cool down after a workout – my legs became very painful on the drive home.

Figs! I missed the crop she picked that day.

Cinnatree flowers.

Tractor study.

Carol Ann’s tea roses.

The okra is doing well.

Okra flower.

There they are. Baby Okra.

Another flowering tree that I don’t know the name of. I really need to stick asking about these in the old brain box.

Tatsumas. They’ll be ready in the fall. If the birds don’t get to them first.

I missed my volunteer day at Boggy Creek that week (at this point, I can’t remember why), so I contented myself with heading out on Saturday instead; this way, I could also head to Springdale afterwards.

Cut flowers for sale

Basil and Dandelion Greens

Curly Mustard Greens. My current favorite.

Some of the Pursulane I helped to plant back in May. It has this wonderful sharp flavor to it. The leaves are almost like biting into a succulent.

‘Tis the season for tomatoes.

New potatoes. Always welcome.

The ladies waiting until the people have all left so they can have run of the farm.

Whatever produce Carol Ann feels isn’t good enough to sell, she feeds it to the chickens. They’re a happy bunch. That day, it was butternut squash.

Keeping up with the weeds is a never-ending battle. There are squash plants holding their own in there, though.

Taking a look at some of the rows I helped clean up.

Okra still going strong.

More of Carol Ann’s flowers

Waiting for the pecan season to begin. I don’t know that the farm sells them, but it’d be great if they did.

After a quick chat with Carol Ann, Larry (Butler, Carol Ann’s husband and farm co-owner), and the lead volunteer, Dana, I headed to Springdale. They open an hour later than Boggy Creek, so I arrived a few minutes early. So, I took my time walking to the farm stand and took a few flower pictures.

I really need to buy a Flowers of Central Texas guide.

More posies.

I think this is a type of Marigold.

Springdale’s farm stand is smaller than Boggy Creek’s, but where Boggy’s is neat, pretty, and utilitarian, Springdale really put on a colorful and artful show. I love to walk in there and see what Paula, Glen, and their staff have done that week. It’s always lovely.

Case in point, the tomato table. The photo doesn’t do it justice.

The pepper table. I think they had 6 – 8 varieties that day.

The herb table.

Dill flowers. I didn’t buy any because I wasn’t quite sure what to do with them other than pickling. I’ll find something.

Beautiful chicken eggs.

And, of course, after shopping, I wandered a bit.

The ladies and gentlemen of the farm.

Ahh… more flowers.

Along the fence line.

The ducks would have nothing to do with me.

Ghost Peppers.

I think this was an Anaheim.

Some beautiful fungus growing out of one of the tree stumps.

More tree stump fungus.

At this point, I decided to not go to any other markets since, yes, Steve & I were once again leaving for parts far away soon. I wanted to get what I bought eaten before we left.

Bonus: My mom was in town for a Contemporary Handweavers of Texas conference (she’s on the board), so I went to visit her. I gave her a goodie bag of the chicken eggs, figs, and about half of the tomatoes. I’m not sure if the figs made it back to Ft. Worth.

I’ve already talked at length about this market in my previous post, La Pura Vida in Costa Rica, so I won’t go into too much detail here.

In short, the market is open late Friday (usually 4 – 9pm) and early Saturday (8am – noon). The best time to go is early Saturday; the vendors are all set up and the crowds really haven’t gotten too big yet. The market is set up on the sea wall (Quepos is on the Central Pacific Coast) and the breezes coming off the ocean are a blessing and a break from the constant humidity.

The market isn’t large, but it is plentiful. Fruit, vegetables, seafood, prepared foods, handicrafts, and more than one general merchandise table were all in residence.

One of the handicraft tables.

Coconuts and (what I think are) Mamones Chinos – a type of lime with a hard shell and soft fruit. It’s related to the lychee.

Potatoes and tomatoes are native to Central and South America. Carrots came along in the 18th or 19th Century.

A cute, if formulaic, souvenir table.

Pineapples, of course

I think these were Fuji Apples.

Beautiful produce.

Mandarin Limes

I was excited to see these – Otaheiti Apples. Steve & I first had them in Jamaica.

We bought some beautiful Yellowfin Tuna from this vendor.

Mangoes.

And here is your general merchandise table.

I believe these were the fruit of the Peach Palm. In the background are lychees; a lot of vendors were selling them.

Bananas

A stand backing up to the Pacific.

Steve found a gentleman selling fresh tamales and bought he & I some for breakfast. (Mom, who was with us and had already eaten, declined.) They were the most unusual tamales I’d ever eaten.

Our view while we ate breakfast.

These tamales had the usual masa base, bit they had a very soft texture along with rice and chunks of vegetables and pork. They were delicious.

The still wrapped tamales.

After breakfast, while Steve decided to walk around town a bit, Mom & I walked our purchases back to the house. On the way, though, I ducked inside a carnecería and bought some epic chicharrones.

Since it was our last evening in Costa Rica, we decided to make it a party. I made a large, simple dinner with what we bought at the market and whatever was left in the refrigerator.

It took awhile to make dinner. The best parts – everyone enjoyed it and I didn’t have to clean up.

Thursday, July 30

Back at Boggy Creek after a 3-week hiatus.

We were tasked that morning with cleaning up 2 of the rows in the front field so they could be amended (Carol Ann’s organic secret recipe to add some nutrients back into the soil) and composted. I set about taking down the gherkin (small cucumbers) vines on my assigned row. It was great; the vines rolled up like a carpet.

After the rows were cleaned and we took our break, we laid a rather thick layer of compost on them. The farm is getting the fields ready for fall planting, so cleaning, amending, and composting at this point is essential for the new growth to be as healthy as possible.

The rows we cleaned, amended, and composted.

We got lucky that day. There is a nice line of large pecan and oak trees lining the side we were on and it effectively shaded us pretty much all morning.

After our shift was over, we headed to the stand to collect our “pay”. Since it’s late summer, and we didn’t get the stand until after Noon, there wasn’t too much left to choose from.

But, it’s hard to complain about that when you’re getting the produce for free.

A few squash but a lot of long beans and cucumbers.

These are beautiful. I honestly had no idea they could be purple.

More curly mustard. I’d better enjoy it while I can.

Arugula.

Okra. So good.

I picked up some curly mustard, long beans, okra, and arugula. (I forgot to take a picture when I got home.)

More of Carol Ann’s flowers.

More summer squash. Carol Ann told us basically, as long as you want to plant it before the first frost, it’ll grow.

the ladies in the shade.

Buddy, the farm dog, spent a good deal of the day digging a very deep hole a couple of rows away from where we were working. He kept on long after we’d finished. I have no idea what he was looking for or if he even caught anything. But, it was entertaining to watch. We were all rooting for him.

In case you haven’t heard, May was wet in Texas. Very wet. Here in Austin, we had a combined rainfall of almost 18 inches – about 14 inches more than normal.

After almost 5 years of drought, we’re all, no doubt, grateful for the rain. However, if you’ve seen the news, some places south and west of Austin got the brunt of what can happen when too much rain falls in too short a time.

Around here, it’s pretty much feast or famine rain-wise.

I know the local farmers are happy for the rain. Up to a point, anyway. Some crops, like potatoes, have rotted and the crop yields are lower than they normally would be. Tomatoes are taking longer than usual to ripen. In short, the farmers are ready for a respite and for the fields to dry a bit.

But, now, the summer high-pressure system is beginning to move to its usual summer home, so we should be in a dry spell for a while.

Just as a side note, in the interest of full disclosure, I’m now volunteering at Boggy Creek Farm. I help out once a week in the fields. I’ve done this because I want to learn first-hand about growing my own food organically. I can read books about it all day long, but there’s nothing like hands-on experience. Reason #2 – I need the exercise.

Wednesday, May 5:

My first stop, as per my usual, was Boggy Creek Farm. I like to get there early so I can get to the salad mixes and baby greens before they’re all gone.

Baby Lamb’s Quarter. To me, it tastes like a cross between spinach and arugula. When it’s young like this, raw is the best way to eat it. If it’s grown to full maturity, the leaves are better cooked.

Dandelion Greens. I think they’re my new favorite.

As always, I’ve got to have some arugula.

Parsnips. I didn’t buy any, but I’m thinking of the possibilities later this summer.

New Potatoes. Because of all the rain, Carol Ann & Larry weren’t sure what kind of crop they would have since, sadly, so many rotted in the fields. The potatoes they are bringing in are constantly under fans to help them to stay dry.

Just so you know, carrot tops are delicious in salads.

Baby Beets. I’m guessing these were pulled early to keep them from drowning in the field.

After talking with Carol Ann about volunteering, I did a quick wander around the farm.

I have no idea what this flower is. But I’m starting to see it everywhere.

A better view of said unknown flower.

CORN!!!

Ladybug on corn.

Shallots drying.

The view from the back of the farmstand. It relaxes me.

I can’t wait until the figs are ready. Carol Ann’s trees are thick with them.

A pecan tree that didn’t survive the storms in early spring.

Playing with the camera filter app. This photo just begged to be antiqued.

Wednesday night’s dinner. This ended up being essentially a small pork rib roast. It was amazing.

By the time I finally made my way to Springdale, the farmstand was pretty picked over. Good for Paula & Glenn. Bad for me.

I still managed to pick up a few things, though.

The tomatoes and roses at Springdale.

I really need to learn my flowers.

I got there a little late, so there weren’t too many tomatoes left.

Not my favorite vegetable, but I bought some artichokes anyway. I thought, what the hell.

More beets. I didn’t buy any; I just like the way they were all laid out.

After my shopping, I took advantage of the continuing break in the rain to walk around the farm. Like Boggy Creek, it’s such a lovely space to go and just get away from the concrete for a few minutes.

Springdale’s chickens. Happily scratching away.

It’s like she actually wanted me to take her picture.

The ducks were having none of me.

The Ghost Peppers are in the ground.

Sage.

Juliet tomatoes.

The Prudens Purple tomatoes ripening.

Looking over the tops of the tomato field.

I’m guessing this caterpillar was up to no good, but it sure was cute.

The farm house.

Larkspur

I want to say this is a sunflower…

Looking forward from the back of the farm.

Springdale purchases: Tomatoes, Parsley, Artichokes.

Saturday, May 9:

Back to Boggy Creek first thing. I wanted to get there early so I could finally get my hands on one specific item: Squash Blossoms. I learned if one arrives much after the first 30 minutes, one is out of luck.

I was successful. Joy.

The reason I came here first thing – squash blossoms.

The glorious salad table.

The summer squash is making its first appearance.

Luckily, despite the weather and the loss of a lot of the potato crop, they were still coming in.

Dewberries. Awesome.

Curly mustard greens. After the dandelion greens, these are another new favorite.

The kale is still hanging in.

Kohlrabi. I’d like to figure out what else to do with it before I buy more.

I didn’t really hang around that day since I’d been at the farm just a few days before. Plus, it looked like more rain was coming.

Next, I decided to try a new (to me) farmers market, Barton Creek. It’s located in the parking lot at Barton Creek Mall in south Austin. I wasn’t sure quite what to expect.

I will say, I like it. Very much. It’s a much less formal vibe than the downtown market. In addition to the usual farm stands, they have artist booths selling clothing, jewelry, and other accessories, as well as a gentleman who’ll sharpen your knives while you shop.

They have a market on Sundays, too, that I still need to check out. Maybe I could even drag Husband Steve along.

As soon as I walked in, a lovely gentleman, David, walked right up to me and asked if I wanted to try his blackberries. He said he’d picked them the day before and still had some of the small thorns in his hands (he did).

I have to honestly say, those were some of the best blackberries I ever tasted. Just sweet enough and very juicy. I think I ended up buying 5 baskets.

Some of the best blackberries I’ve ever eaten. Picked just the day before.

And here is the gentleman who picked them. The irresistible and effervescent David.

One of the stands I stopped at was Engel Farms. They are a third generation, family-run farm based in Fredericksburg, Texas.

When I got to the stand, they had already sold out of a few things. However, I did to buy a couple of strawberry baskets.

Beautiful strawberries from Engel Farms.

The peaches were lovely, too. However, I decided to pass on them this time around.

A quick pass by Baguette et Chocolat for some chocolate croissants (pain au chocolat) and sourdough for Husband Steve & I. I’ve been to their storefront many times for their breads, sandwiches, pastries, and their “Special Hot Chocolate”. If you ever get a chance, go. Depending on where you’re coming from, it can be a trek. But, the reward is worth it.

I took my mom there for breakfast one morning when she came down for a visit. It is now “our place” for breakfast.

c’est bon.

Quite honestly, some of the absolute best European-style bread I’ve ever eaten. Just the right amount of texture in both the crust and the crumb. You can just taste the sourdough without it being overwhelming.

A long view of the market. It was much more populated than this suggests.

In my quest to shop for seafood (hopefully) more responsibly, I like to seek out smaller seafood vendors who (again, hopefully) harvest seafood in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way.

I stopped by a small stand called The Shrimp Connection. According to their Facebook page, they sell chemical-free, wild-caught Texas Gulf Shrimp.

I bought 2 pounds of the large. It was fat, fresh, great-looking shrimp.

Price board from The Shrimp Connection.

Winfield Farms made it into the grocery bag this time around. It’s a small, family-run farm in Bastrop County which is wonderful in and of itself. For me? They had sprouts.

Finally, I find sprouts.

Artichokes at Winfield Farms. I didn’t buy any, but they are a great photographic opportunity.

Beautiful scallions.

Sage. Always excellent to have on hand.

My final stop was at Johnson’s Backyard Garden. I didn’t really see too much that moved me there this time around, but I did buy a few items.

Green tomatoes. No, I didn’t ultimately end up frying them.

Lovely grapefruit. These eventually went in to salad.

Red onions.

Finally, after another walk-through, I decided I was ready to go. But first, lunch.

Heidi Garbo started the food truck (and, later, her restaurant) in 2013. she grew up in Key West Florida, by way of Connecticut, where her father and uncle were in the seafood business. After she moved to Austin with her husband, she missed the lobster rolls back home. Hence, Garbo’s.

Garbo’s food truck has a much smaller menu than the restaurant and is just as good. However, the price may shock some people. But, that should be somewhat mitigated by the fact that Garbo’s doesn’t scrimp on the lobster.

Basically, Garbo’s entire menu at the market.

While waiting for lunch, another view of the market. Well, the other row, anyway.

So, yeah, this was lunch. Pricy. But really, really good. They certainly don’t skimp on the lobster, as you can see.

The artichokes and squash blossoms with the sourdough bread, a selection of cheeses, salami, extra virgin olive oil, local honey, and 50 year old balsamic.

Thursday, May 21

My first day of volunteering at Boggy Creek Farm. Not sure what to say other than it was hard and rewarding work. I can say that it was overcast, a little drizzly, and cool. So, at least that helped make the weed pulling a little easier.

My first day, I met Dana (the lead volunteer), Siri (who’s been volunteering for about 8 months), and Sarah (who started the week before I did), along with Finnegan and Aden, two of the full-time employees of the farm. I also formally met Tina, who works part-time at the stand.

The volunteers were tasked with pulling up the romaine lettuce stalks that had flowered out along with the weeds that seemed to be growing before our eyes. Since the ground has had so much rain, the weeds and romaine were fairly easy to pull up. The Johnson Grass, however – ugh. The best part of all this is the chickens got to feast out on the romaine stalks. We all took turns tossing them into the coop and watching the chickens do their chicken thing.

After the pulling, we moved on to composting. While Dana and Siri spread the compost (made up of old vegetation, leaves, and chicken droppings), Sarah and I cut it into the soil with hoes and smoothed it out. I’ll tell you, that’s a great upper body workout.

After the break, we finished composting and then moved on to planting Purslane. Carol Ann had grown it from seed in her greenhouse and now it was ready to put in the ground.

I honestly can’t wait until it’s ready for harvesting. I’ve never eaten purslane before, at least not knowingly, so I’m excited to try it.

It was a tough on me, being out of shape and middle-aged. But, I’m going to keep going.

The planted purslane.

A sunflower on a cloudy day

Again, I really need to educate myself on flowers.

As part of our “pay” for volunteering, we get $30 worth of free produce. Fair offer, I would say. Done judiciously, $30 can go a long way at the stand.

Some beautiful “flying saucer” and pattypan squash. I’ve always called them sunburst, myself.

I’m going out on a limb and saying this is a variety of hibiscus.

During the course of my day at the farm, I happened to notice an old hen in the tool shed not really moving much, even for a roosting hen. I saw her later in the same spot and she didn’t look well at all. In fact, she looked like she’d shuffled off her mortal coil. I mentioned this to Carol Ann. She said that she had quite a few old hens and this one was probably just sleeping. But, she’d check it out.

Later, after I’d finished my shopping, Carol Ann walked up to me and basically said I was right. The old hen was no more. So, I helped her bury the hen. Well, Carol Ann buried the hen. I just talked. As Carol Ann put the old hen into her hole and was ready to cover her with dirt, Carol Ann simply said, “Thank you for your service.”

Kinda says it all.

Carol Ann burying the old hen. “She stopped laying years ago. But, she gave good poop”.

My after work shopping: Tenderized steak from Dear Run Longhorns; Whole chicken from Taylor Farms

Back at Boggy Creek and volunteering. It was another day of weeding the rows. This time, it was the peppers and tomatoes. By the end of the day, my knees were rebelling.

I didn’t take too many photos that day after I was finished. I had a class to teach that evening and I simply wanted to go home, clean up, eat, and rest before I had to leave again.

Weeding to tomato plants

Honestly, I hated pulling weeds as a kid. Now, I find a strange sort of satisfaction in it.

My Pay for the day: cucumbers, dandelion greens, carrots, Maria’s Zesty Mix, and eggs. I paid for the squash blossoms because I bought the entire day’s haul for my cooking class that evening.

Saturday, May 30:

I headed to Springdale Farm on the first non-rainy day in what seemed recent memory. I thought I had arrived pretty early and before the crowds. But, as per usual with me, I was mistaken. It was like as soon as the skies cleared up, people decided to relieve their cabin fever and rejoin society.

Springdale’s tomato plants are about my height now. I feel short.

Rose on the fence.

Beets, carrots, and celery

Tomatoes!

White and red potatoes.

Duck eggs. I was so excited that I finally managed to buy some. I’ve never (knowingly) had a duck egg, so I’m anxious to try them.

Leeks.

A cacophony of tomatoes. The photo really doesn’t do the table justice.

After braving the crowd, I headed out to the relative peace of the farm.

After finishing up at Springdale, I headed once again to Barton Creek. The sun was out and people were smiling.

I stopped at a stand I’d not noticed before, Two Happy Children Farm. They had lettuces, squash peppers, and, best of all, corn. I bought 4 ears.

One thing hit me the wrong way as I was standing there. The lady running the stand was Asian and (I think) related to the young boy who was also manning the stand. A couple nearby was asking the lady some questions, which she was cheerfully answering. Then, the man piped up and said, “Was that corn grown by an American?”. I was personally disgusted by the question. The lady simply said with a smile, “And American and an Asian”.

I paid for my corn and walked away.

This was a new stand for me: Two Happy Children Farm.

I wandered over to Engel Farms a few stands down. I had bought produce from them the last time I was at the market and really enjoyed the produce I bought.

This time, not so much. The fruit was beautiful, but that was all. It may have been the rain, but who knows.

The peaches. They were rock-hard when I bought them. Once they ripened, they had no flavor.

The strawberries were packed so the pretty ones were on top, bad on the bottom. I was really disappointed. I think I composted away 2/3 of what I bought.

After this, I decided it was time to buy some protein and starch to round out my day.

I stopped at a vendor I’ve bought from before, K & S Seafood. I had bought some Black Drum from them back in March at Mueller Farmers Market. Through no fault of their own, I didn’t like it.

However, the lobster tails and salmon I bought were both delicious.

The price board for K & S Seafood.

Finally. Blue skies.

It’s not the prettiest of pictures, but you can at least see where the chickens come from. Smith and Smith Farms

And, now, for the starch.

After my stop at Baguette et Chocolat, I decided it was time to go home. I was shopping on an empty stomach. And we all know what kind of trouble one can get into doing that.

I think I showed remarkable restraint under the circumstances, though.

April was another kinda weird month for me. Revolving door visitors (whom I thoroughly enjoyed) and the ‘flu both played major roles in last month’s shopping. I still managed three shopping trips, had some lovely conversations, learned some things, and began to truly enjoy the start of the spring and summer produce seasons.

Wednesday, April 15: Springdale Farm & Boggy Creek Farm

As most of us do, I try to do things to distract myself from Tax Day. I mean, my taxes were filed a month prior, but it’s still the visceral reaction to the day that gives me shudders. At least internally.

My first stop that day was Springdale Farm. I felt like I’d hit the jackpot with the fava beans for sale. I’m guessing I bought 3 pounds. There was lots of fennel for sale, too. But, since fennel is part of my torture meal, I skipped it.

I didn’t really wander around the farm as I usually do. The gate to the chicken coops and the fields were closed, so I didn’t want to be presumptuous and just walk in. But, I did have a lovely conversation with Glenn Foore about the role of fava beans in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Boggy Creek Farm was my next stop. In fact, the two farms are less than a mile apart from each other. Very convenient.

Larkspur and Poppies. Boggy Creek.

Bee in a poppy.

I was talking with Carol Ann about the strawberries. She said that if she got any more rain, her plants would die out. (I think a day or two after we talked, it happened.) Her husband, Larry Butler, has a second farm about 80 miles outside of town, she said, where the soil is sandier. Because strawberries like sandier soil, any future strawberries would come from his farm instead of the one in town.

Makes sense.

I just got the last of the strawberries for the day.

Yup. More fennel.

So excited about the dandelion greens.

Arugula and Curly Mustard Greens. Peppery, bitter delights.

After I made my purchases (eggs, strawberries, dandelion greens, arugula, curly mustard greens, pork chops), as is my wont, I wandered around the farm for a few minutes.

Chickens on the loose again.

I have no idea what these flowers are, but I’m starting to see them everywhere.

Call me weird, but I like a little sun glare in my photos from time to time.

This was the day that I learned what breeds of chickens laid what color of eggs.

I was having a lengthy conversation with Carol Ann Sayle about the farm, getting advice on the best way to start a garden (clean the area, cover with soil & compost, let sit for a couple of months, then begin planting in the fall), talking flowers, and, finally, the chickens.

With all the rain we’ve had here in Austin (few are complaining about this), she lets the chickens run loose so that they can scratch and roost in drier areas. By doing this, the coop can dry out and be cleaned. When the chickens are out, they’re extremely entertaining to watch do their chicken thing in their chicken way.

When I showed her the eggs I bought, she explained to me that different breeds laid different colored eggs. Well, the shells, anyway. It makes sense. I honestly thought the color of the shell always depended on the diet.

So, here are the breeds:

Leghorn: white eggs

Ameraucana: green eggs

Black Australorp: brown eggs

A rainbow of eggs.

I’ve called you all here…

soon… Tomatoes. Many, many tomatoes.

Butter lettuce in the field

During my shopping, I saw that the artichokes are starting to come out in profusion, too. It’s not a vegetable that I use much because of the time it takes to prep them, but, I figure if I go all Italian and give them a good fry-up, they just might be worth the trouble.

Quite possibly the last of one of my favorite salad mixes for the season – Maria’s Brassica.

Beautiful purple artichokes and dill.

Frisee and a full head of radicchio. All you usually see of radicchio in the stores is the red core.

They had the most lovely cut flowers and something I’ve never tried before: kohlrabi. I bought 2 bunches along with a large bag of arugula.

Cut flowers at Animal Farm Organic Market Garden

More cut flowers. I wish I knew their names.

Not a huge stand, but what he had was great.

Something I’ve never used before: Kohlrabi. I bought 2 bunches. The outer rind is tough, so you have to peel them. And, the leaves are edible.

I read up on how to prepare kohlrabi and saw that most of the preparations use it raw. So, I just grated it with some carrots, tossed them both some thinly sliced red onion and a lemon vinaigrette, let everything sit for about an hour and came up with slaw. Delicious.

I only bought 3 things this time: elephant garlic, mint, and romaine. They still have quite a bit of winter produce, but I just couldn’t. As much as I love my beets and kale, I’m done until the fall.

Last of the purple cauliflower.

Elephant garlic.

Generally, with elephant garlic, it’s best to roast the cloves. It generally has a milder flavor than other types of garlic; so, while you can use it raw, you’ll have to use more to get the same flavor in the dish. I like to take the peeled cloves and slowly poach/roast them over low heat on the stove in a combination of grapeseed and olive oils. This way, not only are the cloves roasted, you also get garlic-flavored oil.

For me, here were the first heirloom tomatoes of the summer. They had three varieties available: Valencia, Cherokee Purple, and German Johnson. I love heirlooms because they all have their own very distinct flavor, are in general drier (fewer seeds), and while they are a bit pricier, they have more yield than the usual grocery store tomato. They’re not perfectly round, blemish-free specimens, but, heirloom tomatoes have their own knobbly beauty.

Valencia Tomatoes.

German Johnson Tomatoes.

Purple Cherokee Tomatoes.

B5 had a few peppers, too. I didn’t buy any because I didn’t have a need for them, but they looked bright and fresh. It looked like they had a variety of bell, jalapeno, and poblano peppers.

Peppers at B5 Farms.

After buying the produce, I headed to Tamale Addiction to buy breakfast for Husband Steve & I. Their tamales are very good and hefty. Two will set you up for quite a while.

Breakfast: Chicken Mole and Pork al Pastor tamales

From JBG: elephant garlic, mint, romaine

From B5 Farms: Heirloom Tomatoes

From Animal Farm Organic: kohlrabi and arugula

So… On to May. I hope to be visiting some new places and seeing some new vendors.

Now, for a quick recipe:

“Tossed” Caprese Salad

As we all know, traditional Caprese Salad is a layered salad of sliced of tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil leaves drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Occasionally, a little salt may be sprinkled over the top.

I like to use heirlooms for this salad because they are at their best here. It’s a simple salad that’s perfect for summer.

Basically, toss the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil together. Add as much olive oil as you like (I just eyeball it). Add a little of the salt, mix the salad, and taste. A lot of mozzarellas available have salt already, so you want to be judicious when adding it.

Well, life kinda got in the way this month with illness and travel playing rather large parts. So, my shopping month was a bit more truncated than I would’ve liked. But, one must roll with the (figurative) punches.

There wasn’t a whole lot new this month. The winter produce is still coming in: root vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, dark greens, lettuces, and citrus. I’m certainly not complaining; I love my winter produce. But, I will say, I am looking forward to what the spring will be bringing.

I did expand a bit beyond just produce and bought some amazing meats and eggs. The meats were definitely splurge items. But, given the flavor and quality, the occasional outlay is worth it.

Wed., Feb 4.

For my first forays into the new month, I decided on two old familiars, Boggy Creek and Springdale Farms. I not only love both these places for the obvious reasons – fresh organic produce, fresh eggs & dairy, locally made products, homemade treats – but also for the quiet they offer in a city growing way too fast.

My first stop was Boggy Creek Farm. Along with the produce, I stretched myself this time and splurged on some excellent lamb chops and eggs.

Nothing like farm-fresh eggs. It said “large” on the carton. But, I swear some were jumbos.

Personally, I think Romanesco is one of the most beautiful vegetables .

More Romanesco. It grows thick and fast this time of year.

The broccoli and cabbage table.

Jeweled carrots.

Boggy Creek’s salad mixes.

Collards and Kale.

FYI

Spring trying to sneak in.

Lettuces in the one of the fields at Boggy Creek.

My next destination was Springdale Farm. I didn’t buy quite as much there. They did have garlic chives again, though. Yea!

Even if I don’t buy much, I love to simply go to the farm and look around. It’s a great place to simply look at the farm, the chickens, and the yard art and meditate a little.

My haul from Springdale Farm: Beets, Savoy Cabbage, Garlic Chives

Radishes, Savoy Cabbage, Frisee, Turnips, and flowers in jars.

Carrots galore.

Some of the fields and yard art at the farm.

Rows of dill.

baby broccoli in the field.

Looking to the back of the farm stand.

One of the other delights at Springdale is Eden East Restaurant. It’s a reservation-only, weekend-only restaurant. They use only locally sourced ingredients in their dishes. As a result, no menu is the same week-to-week.

Admittedly, I haven’t eaten there yet. I’ve promised myself that I’ll make reservations for Husband & me soon. I know people who have eaten there and they all say the same thing – it’s an incredible experience.

By the way, it’s BYOB.

The kitchen and seating at Eden East.

Love the stove.

Sat., Feb. 14

In anticipation of Husband Steve coming home from a business trip, I headed out to the Downtown Farmers Market to stock up on a few groceries for the weekend.

It was still chilly, but certainly warmer than my last visit in January. At least none of the vendors looked like they were going to freeze.

Chicken from Smith & Smith Farms. I hit a week where they didn’t have fresh chickens available. Still, this one was no more than a few days from the yard,

Phoenix Farms. I bought some gorgeous Brussels Sprouts here. Their produce was lovely.

Beautiful Brussels Sprouts. They comprised part of Saturday Night’s dinner.

After Springdale, I headed the roughly half mile over the Boggy Creek. While I didn’t take any photos in the farm stand that day, I did do some wandering around the grounds and took some there.

Red Lettuce growing next to the parking lot. I have to say, Carol Ann & Larry have a lot of faith in their customers not driving into the field.

Green puffs of frisee in a row.

Some lovely red lettuce. Ignore the hose.

One of my favorite spots at Boggy Creek. The bench looking at the fields. When the vines are flowering, it’s gorgeous.

Fields of broccoli (I think)

Some of Boggy Creek’s always busy chickens.

Boggy Creek haul, part one: Dino Kale, Brassica Salad, Sweet Potatoes

Boggy Creek haul, part two: New York Strip from Deer Run Longhorns and ground lamb from Loncinto’s Lamb

Cocao Hull Cocoa Powder from Organicare Farms. I’ve never used this before, so I’m interested to see how it works and tastes. It smells divine, just like good chocolate should.

And, so… On to March.

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As promised in January, here are two recipes using ingredients that I bought at the markets and stands this month.

Shrimp, cauliflower, ginger, garlic, and lime all have a natural flavor affinity with each other. So, I came up with this dish. If you don’t have garlic chives, just substitute 2 – 3 cloves of minced garlic and add it to the skillet when you saute the ginger and shallot.

Apologies for the lack of pictures with this recipe. The taking of photos was pretty much an afterthought that night. Not sure why.

Shrimp & Romanesco

4 tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 head Romanesco, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 c. water or broth

1 tbsp. ginger, minced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

2 lb. large shrimp, peeled & deveined

2 tbsp. garlic chives

Lime juice to taste

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, saute the Romanesco for 5 minutes. Add the water or broth, cover the skillet, lower the heat to medium, and steam the Romanesco until it is slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

2. Take the cover off the skillet and continue cooking until the Romanesco has started to brown in spots. Take it out of the skillet and set aside.

Cooking the Romanesco

3. Turn the heat back up to medium-high, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil to the skillet and heat. Saute the ginger and shallot until the shallot is soft, 2 – 3 minutes.

4. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are opaque and pink, about 7 – 10 minutes.

1. In a large skillet, either melt the butter or heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the caraway seeds and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Cooking the caraway seeds in the butter.

2. Add the cabbage, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook until the cabbage is slightly wilted, about 7 – 10 minutes.

Cooking down the cabbage. I like to use Savoy cabbage in this recipe because it cooks down fairly quickly and has a lighter flavor than regular green cabbage. I love green cabbage, but not for this dish. I find it a little too bitter. I’ve not tried Napa Cabbage.

3. Add the apples, carrot, apple cider vinegar, and a good pinch of pepper. Cook until the cabbage and apples are soft but still has some bite. Taste for seasoning.

Everything in the skillet. This is after about 10 minutes of cooking. The apples and cabbage are soft, but still with some bite.

I served this with the Cheddar & Jalapeno Sausage from Countryside Farms. Husband Steve was a very happy man.

Shopping locally at Austin’s farmers markets and farm stands is a project I’ve been telling myself to undertake for quite some time.

I’m doing this for a few “want” reasons:

1. I want my husband & I to eat healthier. We’re well into middle age and we need to be more cognizant of what we put into our bodies. It’s not that we eat badly; it’s that we can always eat better. (This is not to say occasional indulgence is off the table.)

2. I want to teach myself to cook more seasonally. Like most people, I simply go to the store and grab whatever’s there, regardless of the season. Cooking more seasonally will force me to be more creative in the kitchen. That’s fine by me.

3. I want to support local farmers, ranchers, and vendors. The food is better, safer, you know where it comes from, and shopping locally is good for the environment. Less carbon footprint along with encouraging organically raised produce and meat.

This is most definitely a project that will be evolving over the year (and, hopefully, beyond). Right now, I’ll just visit in-town (Austin) markets and farm stands. As time goes on, I’ll travel further afoot, but always within a 50-mile radius so I can make meals at home with the largest variety of local options. The exception will be if I am traveling out of town for whatever reason. I’ll plan on looking around any markets in those towns and posting them as a travelogue.

The other thing (as one of my sisters pointed out to me) is that I should post recipes of everything I make from what I buy. Since I missed the obvious here, I don’t have any recipes for January. But, I will starting in February. I did take pictures of some of the meals I made, though.

While thinking about the markets and stands I was going to patronize, I thought about the ones I know best and/or have heard about the most: SFC Market in downtown Austin, Hope Farmers Market, Boggy Creek Farm, and Springdale Farm. They’re all excellent markets and stands with a wide variety of not just produce, but also locally made baked goods, local artisan products, locally legendary homemade treats, and locally sourced organic meat. Not all of the places I’ve visited have everything I’ve listed here, but you’ll be happy with what you find.

A note: I decided that when I shop at the markets and stands, I wouldn’t buy any more perishables than I could cook in 2 meals (unless I can freeze them – like meat). Shopping at these markets and stands can cost a little more than the local grocery store (but worth it), so I choose not to buy too much so I can make sure the food doesn’t spoil before I cook it. I’m not too keen on wasting food or money.

SFC Farmers Market, January 3

I went to my first farmers market of the year early (they open at 9). My general strategy for going early is to avoid the crowds and to potentially get the best of what’s available.

I went to one of my favorite places in Austin, Springdale Farm. It’s a beautiful place that I just don’t visit often enough. Owners Glenn and Paula Foore are simply great people who have weathered many storms to make their farm a success.

The chicken coop. I could stand there and watch them for hours.

Chickens enjoying their produce.

As I recall, it was going to freeze that night, so the fields are covered as a precaution.

When I arrived, there was a large tour at the farm that morning. They bought a lot of produce before I got there, so there wasn’t as much for me to buy. Good for the Foores, not so much for me. But, I still managed to find some wonderful produce.

Hope Farmers Market is one I have heard about for a long time but never visited. My friend Phil is a volunteer at the market and has been encouraging me to stop by. It’s a smaller market at Plaza Saltillo in east Austin with, like the SFC Farmers Market, a variety of vendors.

There weren’t too many people at the market when I arrived. It was a cold, damp morning; so, that, no doubt, kept many people inside or they waited until later to come out.

A quiet morning a the market.

As a bonus that morning, Austin Dog Rescue was having a sort-of open house. Lots of very sweet dogs ready for adoption. If my husband and I were in the market for a dog, I certainly would’ve taken a closer look.

All kinds of dogs up for adoption.

I didn’t buy too much at Hope. I still had produce left over from earlier in the week and didn’t want to take a chance on not preparing it before it went bad.

But, I did get some great bread and protein.

My haul: Chorizo, Beef Marrow Butter, Nine-Grain Bread

Nine-Grain Bread from Easy Tiger. If you go to their East 6th Street Location, they have a great beer garden with an extensive menu.

The famous Octopork Tacos. I bought 4 for lunch. Total overkill, but I couldn’t resist.

Dinner: Chorizo; Warm Cabbage-Apple Slaw

Wednesday, January 22

After taking off for a few days for teaching and travel, I once again headed towards east Austin to my favorite farm stands: Boggy Creek and Springdale Farms.

Boggy Creek Farm is one of the oldest urban market farms in the country. It was established in 1992 by Carol Ann Sayle and Larry Butler. They are two of the loveliest people you could ever meet. Larry’s homemade condiments are legendary in Austin. Especially his Smoked Dried Tomatoes. He can’t keep up with the demand.

Inside Boggy Creek’s farm stand. Greens, root vegetables, salad mixes, and Larry’s treats abound. They also carry meat and dairy products from local vendors as well as eggs from their own chickens. The lady working the stand told me that carrot tops were edible. Honestly, I had never given them any thought. So, when I made dinner that night, I cut off the tips and added them to the salad. Revelation attained.

The bulk salad bins at Boggy Creek.

Boggy Creek Farm Stand on a chilly, damp morning.

After finishing at Boggy Creek, I headed over to Springdale Farm. I was there about 5 minutes, so I didn’t take any photos.